Feb 3, 2026 12:10 AM
In Memoriam: Ken Peplowski, 1959–2026
Ken Peplowski, a clarinetist and tenor saxophonist who straddled the worlds of traditional and modern jazz, died Feb. 2…
Applications for the Michael Brecker International Saxophone Competition are being accepted through March 31.
(Photo: John Sann)Applications for the Michael Brecker International Saxophone Competition are being accepted through March 31.
Brecker, the Grammy-winning saxophonist, passed away in 2007, and the MBISC looks to honor his “generosity, and to assist in providing ballast to deserving careers,” according to the competition’s website.
The preliminary round of competition involves submitting an online application form, furnishing a letter of recommendation and uploading a performance that will be reviewed by a panel of judges. Notification about advancing to the semi-finalist round will be sent by May 15.
Both the semi-final and final rounds of the competition are set to be held Aug. 25–27 at the Red Sea Jazz Festival in Eilat, Israel.
“My goal is that this competition not only keeps the legacy of a once-in-a-generation musician alive, but also the memory of the kind and generous soul that was Michael Brecker,” said saxophonist Eli Degibri, artistic director of the festival.
If an applicant is selected as one of the eight semi-finalists, airfare, hotel accommodations and a per diem for four nights will be provided. The first-place winner will be awarded $12,500; the second-place finisher will receive $7,500; and the third-place winner will take home $2,500.
The fee to enter is $75.
For additional information, visit the competition’s website. DB
Peplowski first came to prominence in legacy swing bands, including the final iteration of the Benny Goodman Orchestra, before beginning a solo career in the late 1980s.
Feb 3, 2026 12:10 AM
Ken Peplowski, a clarinetist and tenor saxophonist who straddled the worlds of traditional and modern jazz, died Feb. 2…
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